Sunday Matters: It Begins

This past week was not bad. I had one day of “why me?” stuff going on but I got over it and realized it could have been much worse.

The Girl’s choir concert was lovely. She is growing up so fast. The pic is very overexposed because that is what happens when she only gives you 2 seconds to snap it.

Right Now:

After many cups of coffee, we will head out to church. Later, it’s back to church for a Christmas party for the middle-school group I volunteer for. In between, I will figure out my week, do some laundry and maybe take a nap.

This Week:

Did I mention that my last day of work is 12/16 and that I am off until 1/11? Yes!!! I’m sure there will be plenty of last-minute work stuff for me to get done before I leave but that’s okay. I tend to not leave stuff hanging anyway because I hate to return from a long break and then have to see it again.

With my time off, I hope I can get some stuff done before Christmas. I just don’t want to be out in the crowds! Lately I am much happier just holed up at home. Probably because I spend so little time here.

So, with this week, the Christmas season really begins for me. Time to put it in gear and figure it all out.

Reading:

I am reading Tender is the Night. I’ve always wanted to read it but when I read Villa America a few months back and realized it was based on the real-life inspiration for Fitzgerald’s Tender is the Night, I figured I had to read it soon. Another blogger (Sue) is reading it with me!

Watching:

This weekend and week are all about Christmas movies and movies I’ve been wanting to see. I recorded The Man Who Came to Dinner (Bette Davis) and really just want to sit down with some snacks and watch it.

I did manage to see How the Grinch Stole Christmas (animated version) and I have A Charlie Brown Christmas and Rudolph all lined up. I am itching to watch Love Actually, too. I have a long list to work in, for sure.

Making:

We made tacos last week and I made chili and cornbread for us to much on before going to another production of The Cat’s Meow. I made more banana bread for the other choir bake sale and I made coconut macaroons for a work party.

Grateful for:

I am really grateful for the roof over my head. I spent the evening outside working concessions for the show last night and it felt so good to come home to a warm house and bed. Not everyone has a home to go back to. I notice it more this time of year but it’s a year-round problem. California is typically not “that” cold, so we tend to also have a lot of homeless living in and around the city.

So many people assume that the government will take care of the people who cannot afford to live on their own, or the people who are mentally unstable and need to be hospitalized but that is SO not the case. My mother makes a little more than $1000 a month and that’s it. She does not qualify for welfare and yes, there is universal health care but you have to purchase a package and of course, there is not much left over for that. If she ends up at the hospital, yes they treat her but then turn her out right away which often means no meds to keep her stable. Unable to work. Unable to live. So depressing.

I am so glad the Christmas concert went well, Ti. I envy you all your time off. I hope you enjoy it. I am taking hardly any time off this holiday. It’s everyone else’s turn at the office to have the time off.

I have a lot to be grateful for this year, even though it hasn’t always felt like it. There’s so much uncertainty right now, and I’m trying not to let that get the best of me. Because I do have my family and my job and a roof over my head.

I hope you have a great week, Ti. Mine will be quite busy–so many holiday activities going on.

I got your lovely Christmas card. I am not sure mine will get done before Christmas. I am just all over the place with stuff going on. My kids are pestering me about it but geesh! They never let me take any pictures of them which makes it hard!

Today I’m grateful for my family and this spring-like December weather! The Girl is growing up so fast… such a beautiful picture. I remember reading Tender is the Night back in high school shortly after reading The Great Gatsby. Liked it even better than Gatsby, but don’t remember a thing about it now. So many books from high school I’d love to reread.

I’m so jealous of all your holiday time off. I took off Christmas Eve, and get Christmas day, but then I’m on call over the weekend after Christmas. No time to play with all my new Christmas “toys.” LOL!

I’ve been trying to dig into Christmas movies myself. I watched Elf on Friday, White Christmas last night and The Nightmare Before Christmas last weekend. Love Actually has to get in there somewhere but I can’t decide whether to go for it tonight or wait til next weekend. Decisions, decisions.

When I was in my twenties I worked in retail and worked both Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and the day after Christmas! I don’t know how I ever did it! I could not do that now! No sane person would put me in a customer service position on those days. LOL.

I am sorry you can’t take more time off but I do hope you have a wonderful Christmas anyway! I have to make my official movie list soon so I don’t forget something because I really screwed up at Halloween thinking I had so much time. Not one movie was viewed.

We had another busy weekend of Santa visits and cookie parties, she had two swim classes today to make up for her missed one the week before. She’s in a new class so she’ll be learning the breast stroke. She’ll get there. She still loves it. I’m mostly greatly for her these days. Work is a pain and I’m just not into the holidays this year.

Don’t let work bring you down! You’ve been a cooking fool and I know you are doing all the holiday stuff with the kid, so make sure you do something for yourself even if it’s just putting a Spotify playlist together to cheer you up.

Ahhh great picture of The Girl. Unfort my reading was out the window last week b/c of Xmas events/dinners, Xmas shopping, and the dog getting sick, but hopefully I will bounce back this week in reading Tender. My mind was like 100 places at once (tis the season) but I really want to get to F.Scott and the French Riviera. This week, I hope to. That’s great about your time off! Hooray!!!

What a great photo of The Girl! Lucky you – all those days off 🙂 I love holiday movies! I watched Christmas with the Kranks yesterday – such a funny movie! I need to watch Love Actually, too. Love seeing Andrew Lincoln looking so clean cut in it 🙂 Yesterday was all about baking with my sis. We always makes holiday treats to give out to family and friends. It makes for a long day, but those yummy treats are totally worth it. I’m grateful for my family- they are the best!

Being gluten free has ruined me for baking. I get resentful. LOL. I still do it but I have no idea what the finished product tastes like. I made something for one bake sale and it sold out. I made the same thing in a different batch for another sale and I had the entire thing leftover. Makes me wonder if I forgot sugar or something.

I’ve been away too long, so I just caught up with your posts. So sorry for the troubles your mom and sister are having. I really hope something will turn up for them – it’s rough for them and for you.

Congrats to the Teen for his casting in Little Shop of Horrors. The Girl looks beautiful in that dress and the scarf!

I am shocked (as always) that Christmas is almost here. I’ve been a little out of touch with Christmas because I’m in India currently and the holiday is not as commercialized here as it is in the US but it’s still a holiday to look forward to. I hope you have a great time planning for the holiday and beyond.